Local Notes: All the latest news from Ballina
Mark Conroy from Ballina with his grandmothers Mary Whittington and Rose Conroy. Mark was the recipient of the swimming award at the Mayo Sports Stars gala presentation banquet in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar. Picture: Michael Donnelly
As Community Games makes its welcome return to Ballina, the swimming competitions have been set for Sunday, March 15 at 1pm, taking place in Ballina Swimming Pool.
If any child would like to take part, the newly-formed Ballina and The Quay Community Games committee is inviting parents to enter their child in this first stage of the annual nationwide sporting and cultural competition. You can enter via the Ballina Community Games social media pages.
All parents wishing to enter their child in any of the individual swimming events must do so before the March 8 deadline, and there are a range of race lengths for ages from Under-10 (Over 8) up to Under-16.
The event is open to all children resident in the area and you don’t have to be a member of a swimming club to enter.
The Community Games committee has thanked Mary Dunne and Ballina Dolphins Swimming Club for their assistance, as Community Games makes its way back to Ballina for the first time in several years thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of the committee members.
Entries are also still being accepted by Ballina and The Quay Community Games for team and individual events such as rugby 7’s, art and model-making, chess and draughts, futsal, indoor soccer and table tennis competitions, while the deadline for other Community Games categories has now closed.
A powerful and engaging feature documentary primarily based on the writings of James Connolly will be shown in Ballina Arts Centre next week.
In ‘We Only Want the Earth: The Life and Ideas of James Connolly’, a modern audience will be inspired and enlightened about the essence of this revolutionary Irishman.
The film features many well-known artists, including singer Christy Moore and actor Stephen Rea, along with other distinguished commentators and Connolly’s great great grand-daughter Tamsin Iona Connolly Heron.
The director and writer of ‘We Only Want the Earth: The Life and Ideas of James Connolly’ is Alan Gilsenan, an Irish writer, filmmaker and theatre director. A former chairperson of the Irish Film Institute, he was also responsible for the award-winning 2023 documentary ‘The Days of Trees’.
The 88-minute film will be screened in Ballina Arts Centre on Thursday, February 26 at 8pm. Tickets are €10, plus booking fee and can be purchased online at www.ballinaartscentre.com. You can also call 096-73593 or email info@ballinaartscentre.com to book.
A programme to help people stop smoking will start in Ballina tomorrow, Wednesday, February 18. This free HSE Sláintecare Healthy Community initiative will see free nicotine replacement medication, group support and one-to-one support provided for those who want to quit the habit.
This is a seven-week programme from 2pm to 3.30pm every Wednesday, to be held in Craoibhín Ballina.
The Moy Valley Resources-run Craoibhín centre is located in the St Anne's School building to the rear of the grounds of the former St Mary's Secondary School, behind the vacated Convent of Mercy building on McDermott Street, Ballina.
Further information about the ‘We Can Quit Stop Smoking Group, Ballina’ is available from Brenda McNicholas on 087-448 4711, or email brenda.mcnicholas1@hse.ie.
You can also contact Craoibhín Ballina on 087-2785365.
The 5th Mayo Ballina Scout Unit is collecting 1c, 2c and 5c coins as part of its fundraising activities for the new Scout Den in Belleek, which is expected to open later in the summer.
The copper coin collection takes place annually, with over €1,000 raised in recent years.
Ballina Scouts are asking children to collect copper coins from their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, family, friends and even from businesses to help raise funds.
Please contact any member of the Ballina Scout Unit or phone 096-21313 to donate.
The Girls Friendly Society meets every Friday in St Michael’s National School, Church Road, Ballina. Meetings are from 6.15pm to 7.30pm and new girls are always welcome to come along and discover the benefits of this youth organisation.
Former member of Ballina Bridge Club and bridge game enthusiast Niall Kilroy, who died last month, was remembered by his colleagues in the club recently. The members observed a minute’s silence in his memory.
Meanwhile, the winners of the bridge game played on Tuesday, February 3 were as follows: 1st, S. Callaghan and A. Callaghan; 2nd, G. Moran and B. Thomas; 3rd, M. Corcoran and B. Mulkearns; 4th, H. Moran and M. Gilvarry; and 5th, B. Mulligan and A. Ivers.
The results from the game played on Tuesday, January 27 were: 1st, G. Scanlon and F. Walkin; 2nd, D. Hackett and V. Baynes; 3rd, S. Callaghan and A. Callaghan; 4th, M. O’Dowd and M. Mongan; and 5th, M. Lowry and T. Slowey.
In preparation for the Bonniconlon Community Games, volunteers are being sought to help keep this annual event going in the area. It is hoped that a committee can be formed before any further planning for the games begins and anyone interested is asked to contact Jen on 086-3954929 for more information.
Ballina Arts Centre will host a weekly art workshop for primary school children from February 25 to March 25. The workshops are run by Ciara O’Hara, an Irish visual artist based in Mayo.
Ciara O’Hara graduated in 2006 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Printmaking and Art History from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.
The focus of the workshops is on fun, and children will be encouraged to express themselves creatively using a range of materials and techniques.
The workshops are open to primary school children aged five plus, and the cost of the five-week course is €65 per child. Class times are from 3.30pm to 4.30pm or from 5pm to 6pm.
All children must be dropped off and picked up from the Art Workshop Room which is located on the first floor of Ballina Arts Centre. Last term’s classes were booked out, so early booking is advised. Booking can be made online at www.ballinaartscentre.com. You can also call 096-73593 or email info@ballinaartscentre.com.
The death has taken place of Martin Bourke, Knoxbarrett, Ballina.
Martin was the loving and much-loved husband of Lena (née Gallagher), and dear brother to Tom, May Gray, Nora Traynor and Evelyn Foley. He will be greatly missed by his brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Tom and Kate, brothers Padraig and Joe, and sisters Breege Melvin and Kathleen Murphy.
Martin reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Wednesday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Patrick’s Church, Ballina on Thursday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
The death has taken place of Michael Gavin, Leneyre, Emmet Terrace, Ballina.
Well-known across the region as a businessman who ran the family fashion and household outlets on Tone Street, Ballina for many years, Michael was the beloved father of Charles, Richard, Jill, Andrew and Liz.
He will be sadly missed by his sons, daughters, grandchildren Nick, Rebecca, Charles, Niall, Andrew, Claire, Amy, Sarah, David, Helen, Mark, Jack and Ethan, great-grandchildren Matthew and Charlie, sisters Margaret and Helen, sons-in-law Sean and Joe, daughters-in-law Marie and Trish, Jamie and Caroline Archer, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife Helen, parents Charles and Mary Gavin, brothers Charlie and Edmund, sisters Mary and Madeline, and daughter-in-law Trisha.
Michael reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home Ballina on Wednesday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Thursday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
May he rest in peace.
Last year’s Laneways and Sessions in Ballina was one of the outstanding events in Mayo during Culture Night. The town centre came alive on September 19 with open-air music across a range of locations, while four further, diverse activities added to the atmosphere of Culture Night 2025 in Ballina.
Applications are now open for funding awards for Culture Night Late 2026, which will be held across the country on Friday, September 18.
The award is open to arts festivals, arts centres, production companies and arts organisations, and is designed to support events that will begin after 9pm and continue late into the night on Culture Night.
The award has two strands. Strand 1 is for innovative, large-scale, flagship late-night events with an audience capacity of over 500 people, offering a maximum award of €16,500.
Strand 2 is for innovative late-night events that bring a unique audience experience, with an audience capacity of over 200 people, and a maximum of €5,000 to €8,000 in funding.
Further information is available online via The Arts Council website.
The deadline for applications is 5.30pm on Thursday, March 5.
The death has taken place of Pauline Gray, Riverside Drive, Ballina and formerly of Bradford, UK.
Pauline was the beloved mother of Kevin. She will be sadly missed by her son, daughter-in-law Lisa, grandchildren Nathan, Olivia and Luke, sister-in-law Linda, neighbours and friends. Pauline was a prominent member of Ballina Active Retirement Association and will be missed by her many friends in the group, especially Noreen, Helen and Rosemary.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband Michael.
Pauline reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Friday of last week, after which a celebration of life was held. Cremation took place in McGowan’s Crematorium, Collooney, Co Sligo.
May she rest in peace.
At the recent annual general meeting of Moy Canoe Club the following officers were elected for 2026 by the members: Chairman, Kevin Dodd; Secretary, Brian Commons; Treasurer, John Groarke; Safety Officer, Helen Fairbairn; Equipment Officer, Chris Roberts; Children’s Officer, Becky Shannon; and PRO/Social Media Officer, Jackie Mehigan.
The also club expressed its gratitude to Ronan McAndrew who stepped down as down as treasurer after many years of service.
The death has taken place of Serhii Nesternko, Mount Falcon, Ballina and formerly of Ukraine.
Serhii was the beloved husband of Nataliia and dear father to Maksym. He will be sadly missed by his wife, son, relatives and friends.
A service for Serhii was held in McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Sunday last, followed by burial in Ballinahaglish Cemetery, Ballina.
May he rest in peace.
This year’s confirmation dates in the Parish of Kilmoremoy have been announced, and all of the ceremonies will take place in St Patrick’s Church, Ballina.
Confirmations for the six primary schools in the area will be celebrated next month, with dates and times as follows: Scoil Íosa, 11am on Friday, March 6; Culleens National School, 11am on Saturday, March 7; Quay National School, 2pm on Saturday, March 7; Breaffy National School, 11am on Saturday, March 14; Behy National School, 2pm on Saturday, March 14; and Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maol, 11am on Saturday, March 21.
